Dubai’s next mega-project could be bigger than Burj Khalifa, says Emirates’ Tim Clark

Dubai: After four decades at the heart of Dubai’s transformation, Emirates’ President Sir Tim Clark has teased a future for the city that’s almost hard to imagine. Speaking with British journalist Piers Morgan, the airline veteran hinted that upcoming development projects could be even more ambitious and groundbreaking than the iconic Burj Khalifa.

“I daresay there are other things that are going to come along that are bigger and more beautiful than Burj Khalifa – we don’t know,” Clark told Morgan, sparking intrigue about the next phase of Dubai’s development.

His comments came during a broader discussion about the strategic vision driving Dubai’s phenomenal growth from a regional trading post to a global hub.

Clark, who has witnessed this evolution firsthand over four decades, emphasized the Dubai rulers’ deliberate strategy to build a diverse economy, moving beyond reliance on limited fossil fuel resources.

He highlighted the early focus on creating a critical mass across various sectors, including media, tech, aviation, hospitality, and banking, all part of a long-term plan to generate wealth for the government and its citizens.

He said, “If you look at the GDP and the broad basis of the economy and the multiple segments, whether it be media, tech, aviation, hospitality, or banking, it is all here. Somebody had to think that this really - If I am going to make it work, not only must I put the place on the map geographically with some iconic things, but I’ve also got to make the city come into a critical mass where it is going to develop wealth for the government, but it must work for all the citizens of Dubai as well.”

The Dubai Media Office shared excerpts from the interview on its X account. Reflecting on the establishment of Emirates airline in the early days, Clark admitted that he couldn’t have fully grasped the magnitude of Dubai’s future success. He marvelled at the city’s rapid development, which he described as being “on steroids” from the early 90s, always guided by a clear and strategic vision.

He underscored the pivotal role of the ruler’s vision in channelling wealth directly into the city’s development, ensuring its benefits reached all citizens. “What the ruler said no, we must put our money in this city and use that money to develop this city – that was part of the model,” Clark explained.

Morgan echoed this sentiment, remarking on the “scale of the ambition – biggest and best in the world as fast as possible.” Clark affirmed that this drive was part of Dubai’s operating model, particularly as the city sought to diversify away from its limited fossil fuel resources. He emphasized the “guidance and steer” that ensured Dubai’s development was strategic and controlled, preventing it from becoming a sprawling and undirected metropolis.